| Musical Style: Heavy Metal | Produced By: David Osbourn |
| Record Label: DiveBomb | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2022 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 12 | Rating: 90% |
| Running Time: 57:27 |
Divebomb Records March of 2022 debut full length So Let It Be Done from Thee Final Chaptre fully embraces the ‘power’ proposition of power metal. It is strikingly heavy (to approach traditional metal territory), owning a technical songwriting acumen (almost in a progressive sense) and surprising composite from a low-end standpoint (noting the multiplex double bass). Yet, accessibility is never in question when factoring the distinct melodies group imbues its material (pointing to melodic metal on the heavier side) and neither is applicability in that album impresses as up to modern standards (despite its material being written over thirty years ago).
Debut might be a misnomer in that subsequent to being founded by guitarist Gary Wilson, front man Tripp Andrews, bassist Paul Starnes and drummer David Osbourn, Thee Final Chaptre recorded in 1991 the custom cassette EP It Is Written. To celebrate the 25th anniversary to its release, Divebomb Records re-mastered and re-issued It Is Written in 2016 with nine bonus live tracks. Unduly inspired by the It Is Written re-issue, the four original Thee Final Chaptre members reunited to create new music, with aftermath five of said nine live cuts and three others off It Is Written forming the core of So Let It Be Done with four previously unreleased songs written back in the day.
The power metal indicator is accurate in light of how Thee Final Chaptre is musically not that far removed from Barren Cross and Iron Maiden or Sacred Warrior and Queensryche. That said front man Tripp Andrews forges his own path by sidestepping any Dickinson/Lee like wails or Tate/Parra high-end proclivity for a smooth, mid-ranged style allowing for the occasional soaring falsetto. Either way Andrews’ varied form proves the perfect vehicle to deliver the groups message based around how ‘(recognizing) that none of us are perfect - quite flawed, actually - we are still men of faith. We wanted to put something out to give the world hope. Hope can be a very powerful thing when you're surrounded by darkness…’ (referencing its press material).
Album begins to short (1:25) piano instrumental “Re-Awakening” before moving on to first of its two epics in the seven minute “So Let It Be Done”. Song brings the progressive kitchen sink and then some, establishing a galloping rhythm foundation for its verse sections - as Andrews’ lower register form trades with aggressive backing vocals - ahead of the gallant refrain knitted with double bass. Deeply set Gregory style voices interest with the first instrumental span, while a neo-classical flair glazes the second (sort of like Narnia). This one would sound at home within the current power/progressive metal environment. Lyric snippet:
Burn it down if you dare
You risk eternity not unaware
The path you take
Determines your own fate
Paid in blood, what a price
But it was paid so you can have new life
And it will never fade away
So let it be written…
“The Key”, truncated at four and half minutes, revels in traditional metal guitars in upping tempo to more forward territory. Hooks of an imperative nature stand out accordingly, as does plenty of complementary high-end falsettos and Wilson’s electric soloing to oversee the mid-point instrumental run. I can see early Jacobs Dream doing something like this.
“Tomb Of Wrath” elevates heaviness with its distorted open-air guitar to start soon joined by leveling drums to set the doom-like tone moving ahead. Song proves surprisingly intriguing despite the razing platform - refrain decelerates to a crawl in upping the catchy proclivity - but also is home to accelerated guitar outbursts to point to a more presuming complexion. Albums impeccable production to allow clean separation of instrumentation reveals in the process. Lyric snippet:
Take me to the place
Were we believe deaths defeat
Fulfilled the prophecies
Into Hades
Freed who died in faith
Now the tomb of wrath
Is just an empty grave
A more melodic heading is taken on the wistful “Wisdom’s Call”. The opening viola sets the ominous tone from the start, with the lucid guitar soon to join hinting of ballad territory but a minute in giving way to the plenteous rhythm guitar to carrying things rest of the way. In between, a luxuriant melody blends with the unassailable scene as acoustic guitar makes periodic appearance to provide a serene impact.
“Day After Day” represents albums shortest (three and half minutes) but fastest. It represents equal parts speed metal assault, propulsive guitars accompany every bit frenetic drum facility, and undeniable melody, periodically song descends into lush passages interwoven with layered (and quite catchy) vocal melodies. Imagine the best qualities of Deliverance and Stryper rolled into one. Lyric snippet;
Daylight, you awaken
With a feeling of regret
Wanting to relive your life
No need to dwell upon
The choices that you made
New life begins
Right now today
Day after day
The pain will fade away
Back to doom territory for opening seconds to “The Edge Of Sadness” as eerie keyboards drift over caustic guitar overtures. Song proves a mid-tempo bruiser moving ahead, placing emphasis on Starnes’ technical bass work and infrequent harsh backing vocals to buttress the contentious but not backing from the groups accessible reinforcing as unmistakable hooks prevail despite the brusque priority.
Classic metal romper “Into The Fire” trends mid and up-tempo territory, with former confirmed to the distorted guitar edges carrying the caustic verse sections and latter heightened at once for a refrain driven by aggressive backing vocals. All the while Osbourn gets quite the workout with his compound timekeeping abilities. No, not the groups catchiest but solid all the same in yielding slight thrash undercurrents. Lyric snippet:
When your eyes see
All the truth that’s unsealed
But you tell me that
You don’t know what’s real
Carry your vision of a life
Lived in eternity
But there is only one way
I can tell you that I know what you feel
And I know what you’re feeling is real
“Just A Memory” in receiving the AOR ballad treatment, weaving its span to an interchanging of reflective acoustic guitar and burnished rhythm guitar to make albums most pronounced radio friendly statement. A bit formula far as ballads go but it is still good in mirroring a more commercial side to the Thee Final Chaptre songwriting abilities.
A return to power meets traditional metal territory on “Blood In The Sand”. Screaming guitar feedback gets things going ahead of blighting guitars carrying the instrumental minute and half opening, with the somber themes held up bludgeoning forward in revealing some of albums darkest and most foreboding moments. Refrain particularly takes a baleful tone as dire backing vocals continuously repeat the phrase ‘March!’ in catchy fashion. Yet, it is not all grim as song briefly curtails over its final minute to delicate guitar. Lyric snippet:
I keep hearing echoes
Flowing through my mind
Tearing through my vision
I see them all the time
One fight just do as you’re told
One goal all you need to know
March
Don’t care that the people say
Got their blood on your hands
Don’t know any other way
“Whisper To Scream” carries over the barbed heaviness in taking an added melodic (although no less able) tone. With drum solo to start, it leans to the up-tempo with its vivid disposition as solidified bass secures the low end and dazzling harmonies (not to mention elated soloing) the instrumental moments. Group’s use of lower register backing vocals again pays off in bolstering the gripping tone at hand.
Album closes to its second progressive epic in nine-minute, three-part magnum opus “The Hallowed Hymn”. First part covers the opening three-minutes to atmospheric keyboards and reticent acoustic guitar in speaking of solemn emotion and second, the subsequent three in picking up at once to melodic harmonies and intense riffing to make an instrumental statement save a lone verse:
Yeah, people listen to my song
And heed every word I say
Accept the One who died for you
And forever praise His name
A return to composed acoustic and keyboard territory for the third but mixed with feedback of a bluesy nature to close album in imposing fashion. In the end, “The Hallowed Hymn” proves a masterpiece to challenge for song of the year. Lyric snippet:
Death no longer invades you
If you’ve accepted His holy name
No more of the lies to live
But the truth from here on in
Your new life’s beginning
There is no end at all
Feel yourself ascending
At the gates you wait for His call
Thee Final Chaptre exhibits a great deal of musical maturity on So Let It Be Done as a ‘young band’ in light of how albums material represents its initial compositions from the early nineties. It breaks down into nine great full length songs and two very good to reflect the groups choice vocals, musicianship and lyrics backed by professional production. Yes, power metal is an accurate indicator of what is going on here, but you will also encounter hints of the progressive along with melodic, traditional and doom metal. In the end, give Thee Final Chaptre significant credit for reforming to re-record its classic material of the past in such classy fashion.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Musicians
Tripp Andrews - Lead Vocals
Gary Michael Wilson - Guitars
Paul Starnes - Bass
David Osbourn - Drums
Track Listing: “Re-Awakening” (1:25), “So Let It Be Done” (6:50), “The Key” (4:31), “Tomb Of Wrath” (5:13), “Wisdom’s Call” (4:58), “Day After Day” (3:25), “The Edge Of Sadness” (5:00), “Into The Fire” (4:25), “Just A Memory” (4:23), “Blood In The Sand” (3:49), “Whisper To Scream” (4:15), “The Hallowed Hymn” (9:09)
